Ballyhoura, straddling County Limerick and County Cork, ranks among Ireland’s very first waymarked MTB singletrack networks, built by state forestry body Coillte in the wooded hills of the massif of the same name.
A network of waymarked forest singletrack
From Kilfinane, the singletrack heads into the conifer forests of the Ballyhoura hills toward Ballyorgan and then Kildorrery. Expect around 25 km and 500 m of elevation gain for a loop representative of the area, on terrain that alternates technical singletrack through the woods with more rolling sections, with full signage by difficulty level.
Getting the ride right
A hardtail suits most of the singletrack, generally well maintained thanks to Coillte’s active management. The level-based waymarking makes it easy to build a progressive day starting on the more accessible tracks before venturing onto more committing singletrack.
When to go
Year-round, as Ireland’s mild oceanic climate allows riding without the constraint of a snow season, unlike most of the catalogue’s Alpine MTB destinations. Autumn and winter, wetter, can leave some sections slippery.
Good to know
Kilfinane offers limited but sufficient accommodation for a stopover, with convenient access to Limerick and Cork, both less than an hour away, for an MTB stay combined with an urban visit to southern Ireland.
